Pre-season snowplow repairs: the checklist to bring Durand

Start with a record the shop can match to the machine. A brand name alone is not enough to confirm a part, controller or mounting arrangement. Photograph identification plates and the whole setup from a safe position.

Describe the symptom before naming a replacement part. Tell Durand whether the controller is unresponsive, a function is intermittent or the problem changes when the equipment is cold. Electrical diagnosis, including any solenoid fault, belongs in the shop’s assessment.

Note leak locations, hose condition, slow movement and the last known fluid service. Do not check for a pressurised leak with your hand or loosen a fitting to investigate. Ask the shop to select the correct fluid and procedure for the exact plow.

Record wear, missing parts or visible damage. Ask Durand to assess a worn cutting edge, seized pivot pin or damaged structure before agreeing a repair. Welding, extraction and reinforcement require a defined scope and an assessment of manufacturer requirements; they are not automatic fixes for every plow.

Have the shop review attachment condition and the equipment’s compatibility with the vehicle. WESTERN’s checklist includes mounting hardware, lighting, electrical connections and vehicle readiness. Use the instructions for your own model rather than transferring settings from another plow.

Ask before the busy winter period. The shop confirms availability, parts, pricing and the work it will accept. Agree whether diagnosis is the first authorised step, how additional work will be approved and what will be demonstrated at collection.